Swedish modular alchemist Hans Berg delves into the realm of machine-made improvisation with ‘Cave Dwellers‘, his latest release that distills years of avant-garde instinct and computerised manipulation. Raised in the secluded forests of Rättvik, where oak forests extended into the horizon, Berg’s creative foundation was shaped by solitude, an open space for sound to take on limitless forms. Without the constraints of an established scene, he crafted his own universe, driven by the freedom machines offered.
Out now through his own Berlin-based UFO Station Recordings, ‘Cave Dwellers‘ encapsulates a textural excavation of ultra-wired hypnosis, limestone drones, and dreamlike echoes — all born from a singular instrument, the Nord Drum synthesiser. Repurposed from its original percussive role, the Nord Drum transforms into an atmospheric shapeshifter under Berg’s touch. In bending function to his will, he cements his status as a bold sound architect, fusing textural techno with modular club energy.
The concept took root with ‘The Magic Drum‘, a track that felt, to Berg, like “troll music”, a phrase that snowballed into a whole post-industrial mythology. Rather than relying on an arsenal of gear, he embraced limitation, focusing on extracting maximum expression from a minimal setup. His approach thrives on spontaneity, letting the machines breathe, evolve and ultimately shape the contours of his sound.
To mark the release, we caught up with Hans Berg to discuss his creative methods and relationship with techno. Whether constructing an immersive score for Nathalie Djurberg’s surrealist animations, improvising 90% of his live sets in a high-stakes game of instinct or steering UFO Station Recordings alongside Johanna Knutsson, Berg thrives in the unpredictability of his work. With ‘Cave Dwellers‘, he opens the door to a labyrinth of high-voltage transmissions, where mind-bending percussion meets extraterrestrial ambiance and echoes from an imagined past ripple into the unknown.
Interview by Mathias Chaboteaux
"While creating it’s a lot about fucking around on synths and machines to see what comes out. My role is to listen to what gives me some kind of feeling, a connection, then I know I have something to work on."
Growing up amidst the serene landscapes of Rättvik, how did your environment shape your creative instincts? And when did electronic music first capture your imagination?
Growing up surrounded by nature in the countryside gave very little input in terms of music and art, instead it helped keep my mind empty but filled with nature. There was very little electronic music around me, so I had to do whatever I could, and I think that gave it a certain freedom as well. I loved the freedom of expression of electronic music, it didn’t sound like anything else.
I understand that Aphex Twin was a major influence in your sonic journey. What is it about his music that resonates with you the most?
I adore Aphex Twin, even though you may not hear that in my music, it fascinates me how how he blends very complex music with emotional timbres. Hard and ugly together with soft and beautiful. This just emphasises each component so much more. And that you can’t tell how things were made, there’s so much magic to the music, a mystery which I enjoy, like alchemy.
As a self-taught musician, how has this approach shaped your craft compared to a more traditional musical education? Do you feel more freedom by not adhering to established “rules”?
It’s hard to say as I don’t know how it would have been otherwise, this is all I know. I think I’ve avoided traditional constraints, finding my way through experimentation instead of craft. When I was young, I never thought working with music was a feasible way for me to live, I thought it could only be a hobby and that I’d have a “real” job.
Back then I don’t think a musical education would have been good for me, I would probably only have tried to learn and follow the rules too much. I think I could do the education now, because I wouldn’t feel the need to follow any rules, but it would be nice to know music theory. And knowing it now would be nice, so I at least am aware of what I’m disregarding.
Improvisation often feels like the lifeblood of timeless music. How do you incorporate improvisation into your studio work and live performances?
Improvisation is a huge aspect of my music, both in the studio and live. While creating it’s a lot about fucking around on synths and machines to see what comes out. My role is to listen to what gives me some kind of feeling, a connection, then I know I have something to work on, I feel more like a sieve that catches the good stuff and filters out the bad.
My live sets are also around 80 – 90% improvised, I create the drums on the fly as well as melodies, bass, effects and percussion on my modular, which I run though a loop pedal. Then I have some backing loops like pads or basslines prepared that are hard to create live.
I try to create a space for myself where I have limitations on what I can use, that means I must get creative with fewer options, this way I come up with novel and weird solutions. If I have too much to choose from, I get stressed and tend to fall back on what I already know, instead of exploring new methods.
On Cave Dwellers, you place a strong emphasis on the Nord Drum synthesiser. What drew you to this instrument, and how did it shape the cavernous, subterranean atmosphere of the music?
That’s a good example of me fucking around on a machine, I like the limitation to not use everything. I wanted to use it as a synth, not as a drum machine, which is its intended use. It’s fun to misuse machines, do something else with them than what they are supposed to do. Having said that, the Nord Drum is such an amazing instrument, all the sounds except drums and pads are from the Nord Drum.
I have an external controller programmed to it so I can change all the parameters of sounds with my hands right away, flicking faders and pots, not having to dive into menus, so there’s a randomness to how I find the sounds which I then fine tune to my liking.
I like to have a theme for an extended player or album that I compose for. This time I made the first track ‘The Magic Drum‘, and thought it felt like troll music, so I created this fantasy rave troll cave for which I made the other tracks. I like to keep that kind of frame and reduction in the work for focus.
Like my last album ‘Extacy‘ from 2023, I had a similar frame, the theme was ecstasy in all its different forms and settings, I composed with that in mind, and I also chose a small selection of machines to work with, to create a coherent world.
If you had the chance to perform in an actual cave, which one would you choose, and why?
Haha, I don’t have a list of caves I know about unfortunately. The only cave I know is the Bat Cave, I’ll choose that one!
Every producer has their unique habits. Do you have any rituals or routines that help unlock your most creative moments?
Taking breaks. It’s really the absolutely best way to move forward, going out for a coffee, short walk, doing something else for a moment – but absolutely not looking at the phone or computer. That’s the creativity killer. When I had my studio at home, I used to take a shower as a break, that was amazing, always came up with new ideas or solutions. If I’m stuck in the studio, in the work, I minimise what I’m working with. Concentrate on just one synth, or one machine, not jumping around between things.
Your ability to remain prolific over the years, with releases on labels including Klasse Wrecks, is remarkable. What’s your secret to maintaining creative energy and staying relevant throughout your career?
This is what I love doing the most, it’s the easiest thing to find energy for, it’s always an exploration to go deeper and finding something new. In the studio I can forget time and feel free in my exploration.
Can you share more about managing UFO Station Recordings with Johanna Knutsson? What’s the vision behind the label, and what exciting projects are in the pipeline?
We started the label to release our own music as it was the fastest and easiest way to get it out. It’s really fun and easy to do and it keeps us coming up with new project to work on together.
Next up is an ambient album from Johanna, then a second iteration of our split EP ‘Exquisite Corpse (2.0)‘ where one person makes a track, then the other one gets a small portion of that to make a new track out of, then it’s back again for another small portion of the track for a new one – like that drawing game where you just see the last little bit the previous person did. But with music. After that there will be an EP with music we will make together, and then another solo techno EP by me. So there’s a lot coming up!
After more than a decade in Berlin, how has the city influenced you as a producer? How have its ever-evolving landscapes surprised or inspired you the most?
It really shaped my music making, Berlin techno is really what I love. Now I don’t live in Berlin anymore, I lived in London for 2 years and now I’m in Stockholm. London is fantastic too, a very different sound, so much more diverse and mixed up, which was a great contrast to Berlin.
Berlin’s club scene thrives on raw, nocturnal energy, while scoring visual projects requires precision and subtlety. How do you reconcile these two contrasting worlds?
The two worlds fit perfectly together, I like contrasts, they make you see each side more clearly.
Your collaboration with Nathalie Djurberg has been hailed as a surrealist masterpiece. How do you translate her tactile and eerie visuals into sound?
We both think very similarly about our work and have a very close dialogue and collaboration, from the start of making the animations or sculptures or immersive environments we do, the sound and music are an integral part. I think about music in a very visual and visceral way. The music is part of the narration, it gives a time aspect to the works as well as the three-dimensionality of music, it fills the space.
What’s the most unexpected or jaw-dropping experience you’ve had in your career?
Nathalie and I recently received knighthood in France, this was unexpected to say the least, we are now knights of the order of Arts and Letters in France, and my title there is now Chevalier Berg, you may call me that from now on, thank you very much.
‘Cave Dwellers’ is out now via UFO Station Recordings. Order a copy from Bandcamp.
Photography by David Neman and Annie Forest
TRACKLIST
1. The Magic Drum
2. The Trolls’ Urge
3. Under the Roots
4. Faint Lights
